Not
long ago, I dug out a 1991 edition of the Thomas Cook European Timetable and
checked the railroad schedules for London to Paris. A typical journey lasted
anywhere from 6½ to 7¾ hours, depending on
whether the trip involved hovercraft or ferry connections.

Today, thanks to Eurostar and the English Channel Tunnel,
the rail journey between London and Paris can be as short as 2 hours 15
minutes.
(Some departures take a few minutes longer than the minimum because of stops in
Ashford, Calais, or Lille.)

Just as important, traveling by Eurostar is more comfortable--even in the cheapest
Standard Class seats--than traveling by air. It's also more convenient,
because you travel from city center to city center.

Cheryl and I recently took Eurostar from London to Paris and
back. In this article, I'll describe the trip in detail, to provide step-by-step
guidance for first-time travelers on Eurostar between London and the
Gare du Nord in Paris.

(Note: The London terminal of Eurostar moved from
Waterloo Station to St. Pancras Station in November, 2007, so don't rely on
information in outdated guidebooks!)